60 Day Suspense

[Christopher]

Got the good lady on the 1-800# today. She informed me that as of the 27th(yesterday) my appeal has been assigned to a DRO and a decision should be made in the next 60 days!

Well this woman is really one of the best I deal with..she always gives me the straight poop to the best of her abilities.

I believe her..funny thing is..Thats what I have been told since 25Sep..that my file was assigned to a DRO on the 25th of Sep, is being reviewed and a decision should be made within 60 days!

It appears that they look at the file for 10 minutes..make an input in the computer that the case is being reviewed with a 60 day suspense..then @60 days later..no real progress..just another 60 day suspense!

Round and round we go..where it stops..only the VA knows...DOH!!!!!!!

[john999]

I think it is a good idea to track down you c-file. A few years ago I asked for a DRO and after making an inquiry I found out the file was on its way to the BVA. I hauled ass to my VARO and got that stopped just in time. I would call every two weeks to check on my claim. These clerks can screw you good just by accident. What really happens at the VARO is mysterious and haphazard.

[Christopher]

I am awaiting my C-File to arrive in the mail.

I was told it was in reproduction for a few days about 3 weeks ago and that I should have received it already(I haven't).

Friday when I informed the 1-800 person this and asked how do you send it and trace it he said that he would send a letter to reproduction regarding my concern. I can't fathom with HIPAA and all that they would have it missent or lost in the mail?

Of course once it went back to the DRO I now have a new 60 day wait!

[sixthscents]

I'm not going to disagree with you because I have seen something similar happen. Raters have a certain number of claims they are supposed to process per year. Like anywhere else, if the quota gets behind they'll jump to easier claims and the more complex ones get thrown back on the stack.... literally a stack.

I'm NOT defending raters here, but it's going to keep happening as long as a quota system is in place. They lose stuff ALL the time. I submitted a reguest for the adaptive vehicle grant. After 3 months of run around, saying it was here, there etc. finally they said I had never submitted one... after months of calls. I went to the VARO with one in hand, and the RO pulled my c-file. Guess what was rubber banded to the TOP - on the outside of the file? Yep, the claim I had originally submitted. The RO was visibly embarassed, and it was processed that day, and I had the approval in hand by mail within three days.

If you can, I suggest physically trying to locate your c-file and if its at the VARO go and physically ask for a copy if you dont get one.

I dont know if anyone has physically been in the back offices of a VARO but I had the opportunity, and its bedlam. Literally there are stack and stack of claim files everywhere... though their computer system does seem to know WHO has it most of the time, that doesnt mean that person knows where it is.

Anyway... I see your point, and perhaps congressional involvement would be appropriate here?

[Pete53]

Well the claims need to be triaged and the complicated claims handed off to senior people but I know it does not work that way.

One more thing its relatively simple no matter how complicated the claim if they have already made up their minds. The problem is that the cheap ass VA does not have enough people working and I can add one more thing go to a VARO and sit in the cafeteria for a couple of hours and just watch. You will be amazed.